Multifunctional unit for the analysis and calibration of devices and components of a vehicle

ABSTRACT

A multifunctional unit for the analysis and calibration of devices and components of a vehicle and, in particular, of a motor vehicle ( 13 ), comprising a movable trolley ( 10 ) of support; above the trolley ( 10 ) there is a base ( 14 ), which carries a screen or panel ( 15 ), at the top of which a video projector ( 16 ) is placed, suitable for projection of the calibration panels used in driver assistance systems of vehicles.

The present invention refers generally to a multifunctional unit for theanalysis and calibration of devices and components present in a vehicleand, in particular, in a motor vehicle.

More specifically, the invention relates to a multifunctional unit,which allows solving the problem of replacement, activation, control andcalibration of advanced driver assistance systems (A.D.A.S); somespecific systems are listed below, as a non-limiting example:

-   -   optical groups of a vehicle, in particular for those of a        digital type; driver assistance cameras;    -   radar for the dynamic management of the speed of a cruise based        on the distance from the vehicle ahead;    -   infrared sensors to aid parking;    -   systems to modulate vehicle speed based on traffic conditions;    -   vehicle assisted braking systems to avoid collisions in case of        carelessness;    -   systems to correct the trajectory of the vehicle if it deviates        from the lane.

The multifunctional unit provides the dialogue with the electronicsystems, responsible for the control of the functions listed abovethrough a wireless connection with a device connected to the OBDdiagnostic port of the vehicle; this is to allow a dialogue, in theoperating phase, between the multifunctional unit and the onboardelectronic systems.

The multifunction unit is also equipped with a removable display moduleto proceed with greater convenience to the adjustments to be made.

Till now headlight beam setter devices are known to control theorientation and light intensity of the headlights of a motor vehicle.

A headlight beam setter device essentially comprises a height-adjustableoptical group and mounted on a vertical translatable support, which isaligned with the headlight of the motor vehicle, so as to receive thecollimated light beam coming from the headlight, without introducing anydistortion during the procedures of translation of the support and/oralignment of the optical group.

The above said optical group is formed by a series of lenses suitablyshaped in a way to focus the light beam of all types of headlights.

The vertical support brings to its top a mirror or a laser alignmentsystem, which allows the alignment of the device with the longitudinalaxis of the motor vehicle.

In particular, in recent times, with the development of Xenon headlightsand LED headlights have spread, however, optics particularlysophisticated and optical groups of digital type and for the functionalverification of the latter, it is necessary the use of a camera, whichframes and digitally processes the obtained image, in order to filterthe bright halos around the beam and define a precise direction.

In practice, the light beam coming from the headlight of the motorvehicle is directed, through a suitable optical preparation path,towards a digital camera integrated in the headlight beam setter moduleavailable to the user and the image processed in a specific way and ingraphic format shows the exact pointing position and the shape of thelight beam, which can then be verified and possibly regulated.

The orientation of the vehicle headlight can thus be directed to thecorrect pointing position.

In most cases, the headlight beam setter devices also include ameasuring device of the light beam intensity emitted from both the lowbeam headlight and high beam headlight of the motor vehicle.

However, the aforesaid devices are designed only for the control and thepassive regulation of the headlights, without the possibility ofcommunicating with the control units of the new intelligent opticalsystems.

This lack of communication prevents a headlight of the type describedabove from carrying out and completing the adjustment operationcorrectly.

Furthermore, these systems are aimed solely at the vehicle lightingsystem and not at other driving support systems.

In fact, for the latter, today it is necessary to use other equipmentfor a complete control of the whole instrumentation of driving aid ofthe vehicle.

In particular, it is necessary to use other equipment and other methodsfor recalibrating the driver assistance systems listed above (theso-called A.D.A.S. systems).

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide amultifunctional unit for the analysis and calibration of devices andcomponents of a vehicle and in particular of a motor vehicle, whichallows to perform various operations of regulation and control of thevarious systems present in the present vehicles, such as, among others,digital optical group and vehicle driver assistance systems (ADASsystems), using a single multi-purpose structure.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a multifunctionalunit for the analysis and calibration of devices and components of avehicle, which is able to communicate with the vehicle electronicsystems to guarantee a simplification of the repair activities,replacement and regulation, for example of optical groups, cameras,radar and infrared and other sensors; the dialogue with the vehicletakes place through an interface inserted in the OBD socket andconnected wirelessly to the multifunctional system, so as to allow thereading of useful data (e.g. tire pressure, steering position, etc.) tothe adjustments in progress and to allow the activation of specialfunctions necessary to make the adjustments themselves (e.g. switchingon a specific area of the LED matrix of the vehicle headlights,activation of the configuration and learning procedure, etc.).

A further object of the present invention is to provide amultifunctional unit for the analysis and calibration of devices andcomponents of a vehicle, which allows proceeding more comfortably to theadjustments to be made, by means of a mobile display unit with wirelessconnection.

These and other objects are achieved by a multifunctional unit for theanalysis and calibration of devices and components of a vehicle and, inparticular, of a motor vehicle, according to the attached claim 1; otherdetailed features of the multifunctional analysis and calibration unitare included in the dependent claims.

The aforementioned objects and advantages will result to a greaterextent from the following description, relating to a preferredembodiment of the multifunctional unit of analysis and calibration,which is the object of the present invention, provided by way of exampleand by way of non-limiting example, and from the attached drawings, alsosupplied as indicative and illustrative, but not limitative, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multifunctional unit for the analysisand calibration of devices and components of a vehicle, in use,according to the present invention;

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are a series of perspective views of some components ofthe multi-functional unit of FIG. 1, according to the present invention.

With reference to the aforementioned figures, the multifunctional unitaccording to the invention consists of a movable trolley 10, such that,it can be positioned around a vehicle or motor vehicle 13 frontallyplaced to the trolley 10, which may have a guide 11 supporting aheadlight beam setter device 12 (such that the headlight beam setterdevice can be easily installed and removed); in the case in which theguide 11 and the headlight beam setter device 12 are used, theaforementioned headlight beam setter 12 is able to translate accordingto a direction (axis X) transverse with respect to the direction (Yaxis) of pointing of the headlight of the vehicle.

In other embodiments of the invention, the guide 11 can also support areflecting element for the electromagnetic waves, which can replace orbe combined with the headlight beam setter device 12.

The movable trolley 10 has a system of pointing and alignment to thevehicle known per se (such as a laser alignment system), in a way thatthe headlight beam setter device 12 and/or the reflecting element, ifpresent, are adjustable and positionable along the X-axis and thepointing system can be aligned along the Y axis with the left and rightheadlights of the vehicle 13.

In practice, the laser alignment system makes it possible to adjust andposition the movable trolley 10 and, optionally, the headlight beamsetter device 12; in this way, when the headlight beam setter 12 ispresent, the aforementioned headlight beam setter 12 and the trolley 10are aligned with each other and form a known and defined angle with thevehicle or motor vehicle 13.

This makes it possible to align the entire integral structure with theself-propelled trolley 10 and, in this way, all the objects applied tothe trolley 10 may have a defined and verified geometrical position,relative to the rear, front or lateral parts of the vehicle or motorvehicle 13.

A base 14 is positioned above the trolley 10, which supports a screen orpanel 15, at the top of which a video projector 16 is placed, suitablefor projecting the calibration tables of the cameras used in the driverassistance systems of the various vehicles and, in general, of all thesystems that need “target panels”.

In particular, the video projector 16 is of the short-range type withvertically adjustable and angularly adjustable arrangement on at leasttwo positions, so as to project such calibration tables onto screen 15of the trolley 10 and/or on the floor 17.

The trolley 10 also allows the assembly, in a lateral position, ofelements 18 of activation, reference and calibration for the regulationand control of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (A.D.A.S. systems),such as radar, infrared sensors, etc.

The headlight beam setter device 12, if present, can also be connectedto the onboard electronic systems of the vehicle 13 by means of an OBDdevice 19, installed on board of the vehicle in the OBD diagnosticsocket present in the vehicles, which is able to generate univocal dataof identification of the vehicle or motor vehicle 13 to be transmittedexternally and which is provided with a configurable multiprotocolcommunication system for bi-directional communication with theelectronic systems (control units) installed on board the vehicle ormotor vehicle 13.

In particular, the OBD device 19 consents to realize a functionaldialogue between the headlight beam setter 12 and the electronicheadlight control units of the motor vehicle 13, in order to activatethe procedures envisaged for the necessary adjustments.

The connection of the headlight beam setter 12 with the onboardelectronic systems therefore enables the headlight beam setter 12 toreceive specific information necessary to ensure the correct regulationof the optical groups of the vehicle, such as, for example, by way ofexample, but not limiting, tire pressure, steering position, batteryvoltage, etc; in this way, it is possible, for example, to adjust theorientation of the headlight of the motor vehicle 13 automatically,quickly and safely, under ideal conditions.

Still according to the present invention, the headlight beam setter 12can be equipped with a portable display unit 20 which, at rest, ishoused in the headlight beam setter itself, meanwhile, operationally, itcan be removed and taken near the engine compartment of the vehicle 13to proceed more comfortably to the regulations to be made; in this way,in fact, one can have an eye on the effect of the adjustments made onthe generation of the light image produced by the headlights of thevehicle 13 and shown on the unit 20.

This opportunity makes it easier and more comfortable, thanks to themobility of the display unit, all the adjustments and controls of theother A.D.A.S. systems, which are carried out from the passengercompartment of the vehicle 13 and in the driving position.

Thus, using the OBD 19 device, a two-way functional communication takesplace between the portable display unit 20 and/or the headlight beamsetter device 12 and the electronic control units of the A.D.A.S.systems. in general and in particular of the digital optical groups ofthe vehicle, in order to activate the procedures required for thenecessary adjustments and to ensure a correct configuration, control andregulation procedure of the A.D.A.S. on the vehicle based on additionalsupport parameters such as, for example, vehicle tire pressure, vehiclesteering position, battery voltage, etc.

Moreover, according to the invention, the video projector 16 allows tosimulate road dynamics, at least for what concerns the functions drivenby the cameras of the motor vehicle 13; in practice, the projector 16allows to project simulation images, such as a video on road or ananimation, in order to verify that the alert systems work (for example,for the identification of a passer-by, for the recognition of roadsigns, etc.).

By virtue of the foregoing, it is understood that the multifunctionalunit for the analysis and calibration of devices and components of avehicle, which is the object of the present invention, achieves theobjects and realizes the advantages mentioned.

Finally, it is clear that many other variations may be made to themultifunctional unit in question, without departing from the principlesof novelty inherent in the inventive idea expressed herein, as it isclear that, in the practical implementation of the invention, thematerials, the shapes and the dimensions of the illustrated details maybe any according to the requirements and replaced with other technicallyequivalent ones.

1. Multifunctional unit for the analysis and calibration of devices andcomponents of a vehicle and, in particular, of a motor vehicle (13),comprising a moveable trolley (10) of support, characterized in that, abase (14) is placed above said trolley (10), which carries a screen orpanel (15), at the top of which a video projector (16) is placed,suitable for projecting simulation images and/or graphic imagesrepresenting panels of calibration used for the regulation and controlof driver assistance systems.
 2. Multifunction unit as in claim 1,characterized in that said movable trolley (10) is devoid of a guide(11), placed parallel to said base (14), for the support of a headlightbeam setter device (12) and/or of a reflecting element for theelectromagnetic waves, adapted to translate in a direction (X)transverse to the direction (Y) for pointing the headlights of a vehicleplaced frontally to said movable trolley (10).
 3. Multifunctional unitaccording to claim 1, characterized in that said movable trolley (10)has a guide (11) for supporting a headlight beam setter device (12)and/or an element reflecting the electromagnetic waves, which is capableof translating in a direction (X) transverse to the direction (Y) ofpointing of the headlights of a vehicle placed frontally to said movabletrolley (10) and that, above said guide (11) of support, a base isplaced (14), which carries a screen or panel (15), at the top of which avideo projector (16) is placed, suitable for the projection of images ofsimulation and/or graphic images representing calibration panels usedfor regulation and control of advanced driver assistance systems ADAS.4. Multi-functional unit as in at least one of the previous claims,characterized in that said video projector (16) is short-range withadjustable disposition on at least two positions, so as to project saidcalibration panels on said screen (15) of the trolley (10) and/or on theground or on a floor (17).
 5. Multifunctional unit according to at leastone of the previous claims, characterized in that said headlight beamsetter device (12) has a pointing and alignment system to said vehicle,such as a laser alignment system, which allows adjusting and positionsaid headlight beam setter device (12) and said movable trolley (10), sothat they are aligned with each other and forming a known and definedangle with said vehicle.
 6. Multifunction unit as in at least one of theprevious claims, characterized in that said trolley (10) has lateralfixing systems which support the installation of elements (18) ofactivation, reference and calibration for the regulation and control ofadvanced driver assistance systems ADAS, such as radar and/or infraredsensors.
 7. Multifunctional unit as in at least one of the previousclaims, characterized in that it uses a portable display unit (20)which, when at rest, is housed in the headlight beam setter device (12),meanwhile operationally, it can be removed and carried near the vehicleto proceed, in a quick and simplified way, to the adjusting to be made,thus displaying directly on said unit (20) the effect of the adjustmentsmade.
 8. Multifunctional unit as in at least one of the previous claims,characterized in that said portable display unit (20) and/or saidheadlight beam setter device (12) can be connected to the vehicleelectronic systems by means of an OBD device (19).), installed on boardof the vehicle in a specific OBD diagnostic socket, so as to allow atwo-way functional dialogue between said portable display unit (20)and/or said headlight beam setter device (12) and the electronic controlunits of the A.D.A.S systems in general and in particular of the digitaloptical groups of the vehicle, in order to activate the proceduresenvisaged for the necessary adjustments and to guarantee a correctconfiguration, control and regulation procedure of said A.D.A.S on thevehicle based on additional support parameters, such as, for example,vehicle tire pressure, vehicle steering position and/or battery voltage.